Pirates can benefit in trade talks with Orioles after their latest signing

The quest for an outfielder is still ongoing and another name is off of the board, as the Orioles brought in Dylan Carlson on a one-year contract. He was not exactly a target for the Pirates, but his signing with Baltimore is significant, as this crowds their outfield group on the 40-man roster.

This crowding further opens up a trade opportunity for Pittsburgh. Baltimore is set to have Tyler O'Neill, Cedric Mullins, and Colton Cowser in their starting outfield with Carlson on the bench. That leaves out two other players on the 40-man in Daz Cameron and Heston Kjerstad.

Cameron is not a target for the Pirates, but Kjerstad certainly should be. He would complete Pittsburgh's outfield for years to come. Even in his limited major league opportunities, Kjerstad put together a 116 wRC+ with a .745 OPS in 2024. That is excellent for a 25-year-old, and while it would be tough to persuade Baltimore to send him off so soon, the return might be worth it, given the way their roster is set up.

Orioles' signing of Dylan Carlson further opens the door for Pirates to make a trade for Heston Kjerstad.

These two teams match up perfectly for a trade. Baltimore has a solid rotation heading into the season, but they could still use a long relief option or starting pitcher wild card if Tomoyuki Sugano does not work out as the fifth starter.

They are in luck, as the Pirates still have a surplus of young pitching. Even after the Spencer Horwitz trade, they have more to deal from, and one stands out as a perfect option for what Baltimore needs: Braxton Ashcraft. Ashcraft is the Pirates' fourth-ranked prospect who is a borderline major leaguer, but makes the most sense as an electric long reliever, even if he doesn't hit his considerable ceiling.

A one-for-one prospect swap makes a lot of sense, as both Kjerstad and Ashcraft may be squeezed out of their current teams' plans. These two teams even had a one-for-one prospect trade last summer, as the Pirates acquired Billy Cook for Patrick Reilly. These circumstances are a bit different, but nonetheless, the shoe fits once again.

If the opportunity presents itself, the Pirates should even overpay by adding more prospects to the package. Getting a guy like Kjerstad into this organization would completely shift things around in Pittsburgh. Offense is an issue at the moment, and getting another future star in this short window that they have with Paul Skenes is truly something they cannot miss out on.

Please tell us this is still an option, and that Adam Frazier wasn't Pittsburgh's last attempt to address their outfield vacancy. Please.